AGARTALA, May 6 (TIWN): Agartala likely to be crowned the Status of Smart city. According to the sources, the name of Agartala was included in the list of the cities which should be recognized as Smart City. The framework for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious project of developing 100 smart cities will be announced soon.

The government’s vision is to develop cities with technology-based governance that will enable efficient public services and have 24×7 water and power supply, 100 per cent sewerage, drainage and solid waste management facilities, besides top class infrastructure. Besides that plan to develop these cities on public private partnership basis is on top most priority. Every city would on an average need investments to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore over next 10 years. The Government wants that the private sector to contribute largely, nearly 80-85 per cent, towards this development,

Sources further informed that, the cabinet note on approval for development of 100 smart cities and the new urban renewal mission for 500 cities is being prepared and circulated to different ministries. The two most ambitious schemes of the NDA government have already got the green signal from the government's Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) and now the proposal will go to the Cabinet for its approval.

While Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for the 'Smart City' project, the urban mission has got Rs 4,000 crore for the current fiscal, as per the EFCAs far as the Smart City project is concerned, it will be mostly taken up with active participation of private players and partnership with state governments and urban local bodies.

Continuous supply of water and electricity, advanced health facilities, hassle-free transportation system, wi-fi enabled zones, effective garbage collection and treatment of garbage and sewage are some of the essential components of the Smart City project. The urban local bodies will have to undertake certain reforms in order to be eligible to be part of the Smart City project.